Phuong Van Dang had driven to the beach for a day trip with his wife when they noticed the significant recovery response.<\/p>\n
Shortly after, he said three local fishermen told the couple they had watched the incident unfold.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was just on the edge of the rocks, just pulling in his line, and this freak wave came along and washed him off,\u201d Dang said, relaying what he was told.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe didn\u2019t know how to swim, didn\u2019t have a life jacket on.\u201d<\/p>\n
The fishermen attempted to rescue the man by throwing him a flotation device but were unable to bring him back to shore.<\/p>\n
Dang said the would-be rescuers appeared to be deeply affected by the tragedy.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter what happened, they just lost their appetite for fishing,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey just watched him drown right in front of their eyes.\u201d<\/p>\n
The victim’s body was recovered from the water at \u014ctakamiro Point this afternoon. Photo \/ Google<\/p>\n
Dang said the conditions on the coast were rough today, with \u201cvery big swells, and very dirty, muddy water\u201d.<\/p>\n
Having been swept off the rocks himself at another New Zealand beach, he believes stronger signage is needed to warn of the potentially fatal danger.<\/p>\n
The death is the latest tragedy on Auckland\u2019s west coast, where authorities have repeatedly warned of the dangers posed by unpredictable seas and powerful swells.<\/p>\n